Parachute.



J. PRBUD.

PARAOHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.ll,1911 1,956,?8fi Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

' hum/r03 @aaw/ [1 J. FREUD.

PARAGHUTE.

APPLICATION rum NOV. 11 1911.

Patented DQ211125, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M/MJLZKM J. FREUD.

I PARAGHUTE. APPLICATION FILED NOV.11, 1911.

Patented M21325, 1913.

a SHEETSSHEET s.

.'ing the paraehute; and to provide a strong.

union.

.iosnrn r ason, orrannnosn, ILLINOIS...

PAMCHU'Z'E.

i ensues. v

v v Specification oi Letters Patent.

Application filed November 11, 3911. Serial etc. 959,7271 i n n1--u Mar. 25, 1913.

'.a parachute adapted when not in use to be folded into very small compass; to provide a parachute having jointed ribs adapted to remain in folded position when not'in use: to provide improved mechanism adapted to autmnatically lock therihs in extended posijtion when the parachute opens: to provide improved means for supporting and releas and durable construction adapted to quickly open when the parachute is released.

A specific embodiment of the invention is illustrated'in the accompanying drawings, in which: i I

Figure 1 is a transverse section of the parachute embodied in this invention, in open position withthe cover removed and showing two oppositely disposed ribs and their extensions. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 1.with the rib extensions removed. Fig. 3 is a view showing two oppositely disposed ribs and their extensions inpartly folded position. Fig. t is an en larged fragmentary side elevation of. one of the ribs with its extensions folded. Fig. 5 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 4. 1 in 6 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the joints looked in open position. Fig. 'l' is a top plan view of the ferrule for the lower staysj Fig. 8 is asideelevation of said ferrule. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of i the ferrule for the upper stays. Fig. 10 is a top plan' view of the ferrule shown in Fig-9. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary side elevation of one' of the it )per stays. Fig. 12 a fragmentary side elevation oton-ot' the lowerstays. Fig, 13 is a side elevation of the connecting collar for the ribs. Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the casing for support-- ing' the parachute. Fig. 15 is .a side elevationot the closed pa'raohute with the casing removed and the parachute about to fall.

Fig. I'd-is a view of the parachute partly rel-eased end partly opened. Fig. l? is a view of the parachute released from its support and in open position.

ribs 1 are supported by In the constructionshown, the ril sl are hinged at their upper endsto an'annnlar collar 2 which rigidly secured at or near the upper. end of the central rodor haudle Sby means of clips at. which are riveted to said handle. .inyiv desired number of ribs may be employed. and they are spaced at regular radial the upper stays 5 and distances apart around the handle 3.

lower stays (3. The s y 5 are hinged attheir inner ends to a collar? which is rigidly secured on the upper end of a ferrule or sleeve 8 which is slidahly mounted on the handle 3. The outer ends 9 of the stays are bent slightly toward tlieouter-ends 0f the ribsand are pivoted or hinged to clips 10 on the ribs. The stays 5 are of siich length that the combined lengths 'of two oppositelv disposed stays is less than the egunbined lengthsof those portions of two oppositely disposed ribs which he between the clips 10, so that the parachute is pljevented from turning inside out by reason of the feet that the oppositely disposed stays 5 would assume a straight line before the. ribs 1 could assume a straight line. The stays (3 arepivoted at their upper ends to clips 11 rigidly secured on the .stays near their outer ends, and the lower ends of the stays 'Gare turned inwardlytoward the handle? and are hinged to a collar 1:2 on the upper" end of a cup shaped sleeve 13 which is rigidly secured on a ferrule 14. As shown in the. drawings, especially in Fig. 8, said ferrule lat is of less diameter than said sleeve 13 and extends axially thereof. The nipper partof said tel-rule 14: projects upwardly.

into said sleeve 13 through the lower end thereof and. in the annular space t'orined be tween the upper part of said terruleand the inner wall of said sleeve is seated the lower end of the coil spring la. The ferrule 14 is slidably mounted on'the handle 3 beneath the ferrule 8 and said coiled 'spi-mg 15 seats at its lowerend in said annular space formed upper end against the col rule 8. I

Hinged to the'outer end ofeach rib are a plurality of rib extensions adapted -to. greatly extend the rib length when in open position. Anydesired nuinher of extensions may he used loot, as shown. there are 4.in-. dicated by 16.17.13 and w whieh are between the respective upper ends of the sleeve 13 and the ferrule 14 and bearsat its tar. 7 on the ferby means of hinge links 20. The hingelinks 20 are of the same diameter the rib and extension, and at each-end it is cut away said slots.

for half its thickness to provide cars 21 adapted to overlap corresponding ears 22 on the end of the rib and extension, or on two adjacent extensions. ears are secured together by pivot pins 23.

On the rib and on each extension above the joint is a coiled spring at which abuts at its upper end against a stop lug 25, and bearing against the lower end of the spring is a locking sleeve 26, which, when the extensions are folded, as shown in Fig. i, abuts at its end opposite from the spring against the hinge link 20 and holds the spring under tension. When the extensions are open and they come into alinement with the rib, the springs immediately force the sleeves 26 over the link 20 until it abuts against a stop lug 27 on the other side of the joint. In this position the sleeve overlaps the link and the adjacent ends of the extensions, or rib and extension, and forms a very sti'fi and rigid joint.

The parachute is supported beneath the balloon or other device with which it; is used by means of aconical casing 28 adapted to contain the parachute in closed position. A cap 29 is supported from a suitable part of the balloomand is provided on its sideswith upwardly and laterally opening slots 30. The upper end of the casing is provided with ins 31 adapted to engage in rope 32 extends downwardly from the cap29 and is provided with a ring 33 on its lower end through which the end 34 of the handle 3 projects to hold the parachute in an inverted position.

Cords 35 are connected to the outer ends of the rib extensions and to the margins of the cover 36 intermediate the extensions, and extend downwardly and inwardly and their lower ends are secured to .a ring 37. A cord 38 is connected to the ring 37 and has a ring 39 for the operator. extends through a slot 40 in the casing in position for the operator to grasp When he desires to release the parachute.

The operation ofthe construction shown is as follows: When the parachute is not inoperation it is" folded to closed position with the extensions folded beneath the ribs,

and is held in the casing 28 in an inverted position. In this position the spring 15 is compressed between the collar? and the sleeve '13 and is exerting an upward tension on the collar 7 tending to open the para chute. When the casing 28 is removed the parachute begins to turn to upright position, as shown in Fig. 16, and the ribs being released the spring 15 starts to open the parachute. As the ribs open the extensions fall and as the cover catches the air and the,

The overlappin g set having their outer ends bent toward the The cord 38 extensions are brought into alinement with the ribs, the springs 24 force. the sleeves 26 overthe joints and rigidly hold the extensions' in place. The weight of the operator on' the cords 35 prevents the parachute from turning inside out.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that many details of the construction shown ma be varied or omitted without departing rom the scope of the claims. I claim: a

1. A parachute comprising acentral rod, a plurality of ribs hinged thereto, two sliding collars on the rod, two sets of stays, an upper set and a lower set, the stays of each set being pivoted at their inner ends to one of said collars, the stays of the upper outer ends of said ribs and being pivoted at their outer ends to said ribs, the stays of the lower set bein pivoted at their outer ends to the stays o the upper set at a point adjacent to the bent ends of the latter; the bent ends of said stays of the upper set being adapted to abut against said ribs when the parachute is fully open, and an expansively acting spring interposed between said collars. 5 w

2. A parachute comprising a central rod, a plurality of ribs hinged thereto, a ferrule adapted to slide endwise on said rod, a sleeve of larger diameter than said ferrule attached to said ferrule; theupper part of said ferrule projecting upwardly into said sleeve through 1ts lower end, a collar on said sleeve, a second collar adapted to slide endwise on said rod, two sets of stays, the stays of each set being ivoted at their inner ends to one' of said col ars, the stays of one set being pivoted at their outer ends to said ribs, and the stays of both sets being pivotally connected with each other near their outer ends, and an expansively acting coiled spring surrounding the said rod, and having its lower end "inserted in the annular space between the upper part of said ferrule and inner wall of s'a1d sleeve.

3. The combination of a parachute, having a central rod and a plurality of folding ribs, a casing, closed at one end, in which said parachute is inserted in a closed and inverted position, a support for the casing, to-whi'ch the latter is detachably connected, with its open end uppermost, and means attached to the said support and adapted for detachable connection with the end' of the rod which is downward when the parachute is inverted and within said casing.

4. The combination of a parachute having a central rod and a plurality of folding ribs, a casing, closed at one end, in which said parachute is inserted in a closed and in- 'vei-ted position, a support for said casing,

with its open end uppermost, and a rope subscribed my name in the presence of two attached to said support anti provided With witnessee a ring at its lower end. adapted to engage the end of the rod which is downwardwhen the parachute in inverted end-wlthin the casing;

to which the latter is detuchably connected 1 In testimony whereof I have hereunto JOSEPH FREUD.

WNitnesses: v Y

W. N. NITHENBURY, M E WITHENBURY. 

